The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-24
THE DIFFERENCE.

THE DIFFERENCE.
A Parkway Outrage Over Which Re
publicans Are POLITICALLY" Indignant
and One Near at Hand Which They Will
Not Consider.
Three citizens of Texas, or three
men claiming to he such, appeared at
Washington not long since with har-
rowing tale of political outrage where
of they were the victims. They asked
that the Senate investigate the case
and that body by a strict Party vote
has decided to do so. The story was
practically unsupported-except so far
as each of the three men supported the
other two. 1t YVES very suspiciously like
a number of stories which have come
from the South at times when the Repub-
hcan party was in need of fuel to fire the
partisan hearts and keep the rank and
file from falling into a condition of
confidence in the South, Moreover, il
the story was true it furnished no basis
for Senatorial or Federal action. Ii
might turn out in every line and word
and detail exactly as narrated, and it
would still be as purely case for the
tribunals and authorities OF Texas rs
the horrible outrages in the north
woods of Michigan and Wisconsin are
cases for the tribunals and authorities
Of those States. The Senate can do
absolutely nothing in the premises I'M
less it be TO make, or attempt to make,
political capital for the Republican
party. 1t can not punish the offenders
or even compel the State of Texas to do
it.
Some days before the alleged citizens
of Texas made their appearance ut
Washington with their outrage budget
Il poor widow in this city gave to the
public an account of the suffering her
husband, who had just died at the Sol
diers' Home in Grand Rapids, had I'M
dergOne in that institution. 1t would
have been sad and pathetic tale if the
sufferer had been a pauper in the coun-
ty house, or even convict in one of
our prisons. Told, as it was, of a gal
liant soldier who had been taken in
charge by the great State of Michigan
TO protect and care for in a home
which the generous bounty of the peo-
pie had provided, it was Il tale calcu-
lated to make the blood boil in the
veins of every patriotic citizen. TWAS
followed by other tales from inmates
of the same institution, all freighted
with the same burden of miSmanage-
ment, neglect and consequent suffer-
ing. Those who should have been the
welcome and honOred guest of the
State in real home, with the care and
the comfort that sacred name implies,
were represented as finding the place
a ''mOckery of home" and a "hell."
Naturally an indignant cry went up
for investigation of the alleged abuses
and for Il speedy remedy; and the
Legislature was at once appealed to-
There was nothing partisan in the cry.
The charges were not made by citizens
of a distant State. And the appeal was
to body which has full jurisdiction to
examine and full power to cure the
abuses, if any are found. 1t was
stronger case in its appeal to humanity
and in the evidence by which it was
than the Texas case; and it |
was presented, as the latter was not, to |
4 perfectly proper tribunal. But the
petty party organ saw no merit in the |
case. The wall of the stricken widow |
and the appeal of the suffering soldier
were ''insinuations" which deserved |
no attention from the Legislature or
else. The management of the |
Soldiers Home was too great and wise
and generous and good to be even sus-
Dected of any thing; and it was only
when member Of its own party with |
4 manly consciousness of the disgrace
the State would incur if the whitewash-
ng policy were pursued moved for an
Investigation that this petty partisan
organ abandoned its opposition and
Joined in the demand. 1t
lad sharp eyes for alleged outrages IN
ar-off Texas; it had crocodile tears ia
he'd over alleged wrongs committed
here; and it was exceedingly prompt
n its demand for an investigation
when there was the faintest prospect
hat its party could make political cap
tai, though there was no possibility
hat any wrong could be redresSed. But
t had no eyes or tears to mOisten them
when the alleged sufferers are its own
in whose kind and gem
rOus treatment the whole State was
Interested. 1t could not even see its
way clear TO asking for IN inquiry into
he matter until the resolution offered
" member of its own party satisfied
that the partisan whitewash brush
ould no longer be welded with safety.
There is a good deal of this Mrs
ellaby" business of straining the sight
o in looking after the far-off suffering
hat the eyes are blinded to the misery
lose at hand. And it is all the more
business when the ignor-
ne of the suffering and misery near at
and is deliberate. as it has been in the
fibuRe'S dealing with the Soldiers
lone matter.-Detrou Free Press.
"CraWfiShing," as Usual.